FULL SUMMARY:
AU. When Prince Sasuke's bride, Hinata, is taken by a rebel group, Mimei, it sets in motion events that lead to an old clan enemy's return, an unexpected puppetmaster, reuniting a pair of old friends, and meeting a mysterious, painfully-familiar young woman in the wake of a total revolution of the capital. All may be fair in love and war, but one group of teenagers find it also applies to matters of the heart. Will the royal family fall? Or will time simply not be enough to stop the inevitable?
A/N: Alright alright alright, I know what you're thinking. Yes, you've seen this uploaded before. Yes, this is a rewrite of 'Riot Act'. No, it won't end in the same way. Yes, many things will stay the same. No, there won't be quite as many of the same ships as last time. No, I'm not doing the weird thing of uploading a bunch of chapters at once this time. Since I completely finished it over on AO3 (122 chapters in total, wowie!), I decided to port it over because I'm honestly a little disappointed with it being there. No, that doesn't mean I think I wasted years of working on it, but to be honest, I feel like it's more suited for in the end.
Think of this as a definitive version of the story; maybe not one that I've always envisioned it being, but pretty darn close. This is going to end up being my longest book by far, both chapterwise and in length; I've clocked in about 122 chapters and over 200k words on AO3, and I suspect this will end up being an even longer wordcount just from the extra author commentary. Not by much, mind you, but don't be surprised if this ends up being over 210k-215k.
Just some ground rules for this time around:
1) PLEASE BE PATIENT. I'll be updating this book almost every single day, and I'm gonna be honest with you: I'm tired. So don't freak out if I take breaks in between moving the chapters over. I have a job IRL that demands my attention more than this, but I promise this will be out by the end of the year. That means I will be double-posting or, if worse comes to worse, triple-posting.
2) PLEASE do not bash characters/ships. The ships included will happen because I want them to happen. I can tell you right now that this will be SasuSaku for most of it and NaruHina, SaiIno, ShikaTema, and NejiTen endgame. IF YOU DISLIKE ANY OF THOSE SHIPS, PLEASE KEEP IT TO YOURSELF and/or CLICK OFF OF THE BOOK. I don't care what you like or dislike. Please let me post this book in peace.
3) PLEASE respect my decisions bookwise. Whatever happens will happen because I want it to, not because I'm being coerced into making it happen. I have no tolerance for people who demand certain things of me. This also ties into number 1, which is be patient. If you already know spoilers from the last one, keep them to yourself.
4) DO NOT GET MAD AT ME for decisions made with my OCs. If you give me death threats because I killed so-and-so original character I absolutely will not tolerate it. I'm doing this for fun and I expect that my readers respect that and try their best to have fun along with me. Besides the fact that they're fictional characters, they're my characters and I'll do with them whatever I see fit.
I apologize if I sound a little rude with this note, but I really want to have a better time this time around. I guarantee it'll be better quality than my first attempt, at least. Especially with the worldbuilding.
Without any further ado, I hope you enjoy!
Prologue: Second Chances
The wind was crisp in the cool autumn morning as she stood atop the mountain, staring blankly into the sunrise. The land of Fire looked just the same as it always did - and yet, it was different. It was missing something.
The early-morning sky was painted with hues of rosy oranges and pale yellows, the stars fading from her eyes as the all-encompassing blackness of night was replaced with the omnivident dawn. The shadows thrown across the valley were shrinking away from the light, almost like they were demons shrinking away to hide from the presence of a god. The cheerful colors of summer were fading, as the leaves on the trees were being cast quieter, less vibrant oranges and reds. Some were beginning to fall already, a sign of the winter soon to come.
She let a sigh escape her lips. Had it really been only two months since he disappeared? It felt like it'd been years since she'd seen his face, even if they'd parted on less than amicable terms not so long before. She had her friends, true, she had her family, true, but the one she longed for was him.
It was rather funny. The first time hadn't hurt nearly as much as this. She thought that she would be able to go about her days as if the battle hadn't happened, as if life had always been this way, but the more she thought of it, the more her heart sank. The more she felt the pit in its depths widening. She never thought it would hurt so badly to be separated a second time, and yet here she stood, alone.
A pair of feet touched down on the rock behind her, but she didn't bother to turn around. She knew who it was. Only two people would know where she was at this time, and only he would be the one to come all the way up here just to check on her. A wry smile curled her lips as he walked closer, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't beat yourself up so hard about it," he spoke first, voice low. It almost seemed like he wasn't being himself. The Naruto she knew was always so energetic. The Naruto now sounded exhausted, chasing after demons only they could see. "He would've left regardless… I know it's what he wanted."
She didn't answer right away, the warmth from his hand seeping into her shoulder. He was such a warm person, practically the sun personified. He'd felt the loss just as hard as she did, if not a little harder. But she knew who to blame for it, and he wasn't the responsible party.
"You don't have to worry about me," she finally replied, her voice wavering the slightest bit at the beginning. She swallowed and continued, "It's like he said. I'm just an offensive mockery of the one he wanted, right?"
The bitterness in her words was there, as she didn't have the heart to disguise it. She'd truly thought she had some kind of chance before, but there wasn't a doubt in her mind that he really hated her now. And all because she had to blow it like she had. Why couldn't she do anything right?
"Don't say that," Naruto snapped, his cerulean eyes glaring into hers for a moment before his face softened in, dare she say it, pity. "He was just shocked to see you. Given the circumstances, I'm surprised he didn't do worse."
Her hand ghosted to her stomach, the healing scar throbbing as she remembered that day.
"He was really trying to kill me then," she mumbled, her voice choked and flat.
The blond man sighed heavily, his grip on her shoulder tightening a fraction. Not enough to hurt, but enough for her to notice. His feelings were ill-hidden, even if he was trying. Somehow, she figured that he wasn't trying to hide them at all. She soaked in his frustrated aura as easily as the warm rays of the morning sun on her face.
"I know it hurts, but you've gotta believe me when I say we're trying, y'know," he consoled her as she turned her head to look into his face. He'd been growing out his bangs since the battle, and now he was beginning to resemble his late father. If it hadn't been for the eyes that had belonged to his mother, he would have been a dead ringer for Namikaze Minato.
She swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded her head. "I know."
Then Naruto smiled, warm and endearing, and she was painfully reminded of just how much they'd gained - and lost. He squeezed her shoulder for a moment more before he let go, and she noted the immediate loss of warmth.
"We'll find him," he promised, his eyes shimmering with determination. "I promise."
MAY 31, 84 AEC
KONOHAGAKURE
The capital city of the country of Fire was alight in celebration.
An energetic aura sent the citizens abuzz, all preparing for a special occasion. There were decorations, flower garlands and ribbons of every color save for black, banners and wreaths and the enticing perfume of the very finest bouquets that summer had to offer. The citizens walked and talked amicably, children ran up and down the streets with laughter following them, and the elders sat together and spoke of how wonderful the season was.
There was one person who wasn't happy, however. High above the houses in the castle in the very center of town, gazing solemnly through the windows of her bedchamber, Hyuuga Hinata sat brushing out her hair, her countenance twisted in worry.
She gazed across the room at the spotless, crisp white gown that stood on a mannequin beside her vanity, and her disquieted expression momentarily deepened. As nervous as one may be the evening before their wedding, she wasn't exactly as nervous as she was scared.
When the king had asked her father three years ago for a merging of their clans together in marriage, she had been fifteen and struggling to prove herself as a worthy heiress to her father. In exchange for her hand and their young men and women as soldiers, the king had said, the Hyuuga clan would gain more land and a higher rank in the kingdom (as if they already weren't second in importance to the Uchiha clan in the first place). Her father had been skeptical at first, but when the king promised a dowry of a large plot of choice land as well as a hefty sum of money (which was never disclosed outside of the two patriarchs), he was, to put it lightly, enthusiastic about the match and agreed immediately.
Hinata had been fifteen, not a girl, not yet a woman in the eyes of the kingdom, unknowing of what was to come for her, afraid of bringing dishonor to her father.
Now she was eighteen, a beautiful young woman with long midnight tresses and pearl eyes like those of her late mother's, wizened and yet still unsure of the future before her. Her husband-to-be hadn't been any more excited than she'd been at the betrothal, a fact that she wasn't sure she should be offended or relieved by. At least Sasuke was as kind as he could be to her, considering the circumstances. He never rose his voice or hit her, not that Naruto would have let him, anyway.
Ah, and Naruto. The boy with hair like sunshine and a soul to match. The boy - now man - whose cerulean eyes matching that of the ocean depths caused her no end of swooning. The one man she could not have. She had loved him ever since they were children, when his exuberant, kind personality attracted people, old and young alike, to him like magnets. He was the best of both worlds from his parents, having inherited Minato's handsome looks and Kushina's omnipresent fire and passion for life.
But to have him meant double-crossing the prince, and on a higher level, the king. To have him meant certain death, if not things worse than death. She would be ostracized by her family, She would live her days as a pariah, the dishonored daughter of one of the most influential families this side of Wind. No one would want her as a bride, and no one would want her near Naruto then.
To his credit, Sasuke had been aware of her feelings towards his best friend-slash-brother for years now. Ever since Sakura - their childhood friend - had died and she had been there to comfort both of them, he had privately told her that he knew of her love for Naruto, even though the boy himself had been - and probably still was - perfectly oblivious. It was a comfort, even though a small one, that Sasuke knew and approved of them both. It was just a shame that destiny commanded she marry the prince instead.
She let a delicate sigh escape her lips as she sat her brush down on the windowsill, standing from her chair. Her back was aching from her poor posture, and as she was stretching, a woman with long, tousled red hair peeked into her chambers.
"Milady, I'm here to give you assistance," she greeted with a reserved smile.
The light from the room reflected from her glasses as she stepped in, her own posture relaxed, as if talking to a good friend. As far as Hinata was concerned, the redhead was indeed a good friend.
Karin Uzumaki had been in the palace for a good number of years now. Having arrived on her 17th birthday to assist the queen, she had seen all sorts of potential marriage candidates arrive and depart, from preteens to women in their twenties. None of them had been right, or so she had claimed. None of them were good enough for Sasuke's incredible standards, as she'd privately told her later. They were all either too loud or too quiet, sang too much, were too dull or too vibrant (the exact wording he'd used was 'too Naruto'), too short or too tall, too affectionate or too distant. There was never a connection with any of them. Thankfully for his sake, the king and queen had stopped on his sixteenth birthday when Hinata had been decided upon, but he never seemed happy about it. Karin had a way of 'reading' people's chakra signatures, and Sasuke's was like a frigid winter breeze, oftentimes growing to a harsh wind due to his sullen mood. When he got angry, it roared like a blizzard, stinging and destructive, and Karin had once admitted that it scared her.
It didn't stop the woman from being in love with the young prince, though. She had been ever since he saved her from a bear during one of the royal family's trips out of the city, and it had intensified when she'd come to serve the queen. It had seemingly died out in recent years, however. Due to reasons she didn't want to disclose to Hinata, the flame she carried for him had been slowly dying, replaced with an almost sister-like love for him and Naruto.
Now she admired the older woman. For all of the hotheadedness that came with Karin, it was accompanied with a loyalty stronger than anything Hinata had ever known, save for her recent closeness with her sister and her rekindling friendship with her cousin.
Karin walked through the room, admiring the stark-white wedding gown for a moment before turning to Hinata, a sense of longing in her eyes that was crushed as soon as they made eye-contact. She could sense that something was bothering the redhead, but she didn't want to demand answers.
Hinata smiled politely back and turned her head to gaze out of the window again. The day was fading, as the sun had already hidden itself behind the mountains. The skies were painted in gold and pale yellow, lovely as the fresh daffodils that decorated her balcony.
She felt Karin's presence behind her and the woman's nimble fingers glided through her hair, smoothly running through the midnight strands. She'd been careful not to leave any snarls tonight.
"I've always been so envious of your hair, Princess," Karin murmured, smiling despite herself. "I would give anything to have long, dark hair like yours."
"Don't say that, Karin," Hinata gently admonished, casting her a displeased glance in the glass' reflection. "Your hair is so lovely. The color reminds me of those red roses at Yamanaka-sama's shop."
A short chuckle, "You mean it sticks out like a sore thumb."
Hinata didn't say anything more, merely focusing on the view outside and the comforting pull of Karin's fingers through her hair. Karin's voice had sounded bitter, as it usually did when she was discussing something that affected her on a deep emotional level.
The silence between them bothered her. She was used to Karin sitting with her and talking about this, or that, what the queen wanted her to do that day or some new prank that Naruto had been a part of. Karin was never this sullen, unless it involved Sasuke.
Hinata swallowed quietly and dared to speak up, "What's on your mind, Karin-san?"
Karin's hand momentarily paused its motions. For three seconds they stood there, Hinata's worries growing by the moment. She didn't have the skill that Karin had in reading chakras, but she had grown up around enough councilmen and sycophants to know when someone was trying to keep a very important secret. As guarded as she often was, everyone had a tell, and Karin's was her hands. She always stopped whatever it was she was doing with her hands when she was trying to lie.
"... it's nothing to concern yourself with, milady," she answered quietly.
Her hands still did not move.
Hinata's lips stretched into a thin line, and she caught Karin's face in the glass. Karin's face was blank, unable to be read even when they momentarily locked eyes.
"Please, tell me," she implored. "Whatever it is, I won't be angry with you, I promise."
Karin's eyebrows drew together into a frown, and her lips parted, as if she was going to reply. Then she looked down and her mouth shut, in thought.
A heavy silence reigned between them for a minute more. Hinata's eyes never strayed from Karin, searching her in the reflection. Whatever mask she was trying to wear had fallen, and now she allowed herself to be read more easily. Her mouth curved in a frown, her eyes shadowed by the bangs that had fallen into her face. They darted back and forth across the tile floor, as if searching for something.
Then they slowly traveled up. When scarlet eyes met pearl, she almost seemed to grimace back before her chest heaved in a deep exhale.
"Before I tell you my predicament, I need you to answer me honestly," she said in a serious voice. Her eyes scanned Hinata's worried countenance for a few seconds before she continued, "Do you want to escape this wedding?"
The noirette's eyes widened a fraction and she whirled around, her hair gently slapping her face with the movement as she flinched away in surprise. "Wh- what?"
"You heard me," Karin firmly replied, taking hold of her shoulders.
Immediately, her eyes looked down. Karin's probing stare made her squirm where she stood.
Did she want this? The question seemed so easy to answer, should be easy to answer, and yet she couldn't immediately say.
All of her life, she wanted to please her father. He and Hanabi were the only links left to her mother, and she wanted to make them proud. By securing a match with Sasuke, his eyes had practically glowed with pride - and she was content in his happiness.
But even though Naruto was the love of her life, and even though Sasuke was a good friend, and even though the king and queen were benevolent to her, she always felt like there was something missing. She'd never put her finger on it, but now, with that one question, she was beginning to remember. Hinata was lonely.
She wanted more. She craved more. More than Sasuke or even Naruto could give her. She needed to be free. She needed to see more than just the castle walls, or the bustling streets of downtown Konoha.
Her bottom lip trembled, and she looked back up.
Karin seemed to sense her conflicting emotions. She chortled, a subdued, breathy sound, and reached into the pocket of her robe.
"Believe me, I get it," she drawled, pulling out a vial with a thin, pellucid blue liquid that sloshed around inside as she gave it a tilt. "I, too, have had a fate that I wanted to trespass. If you'll allow me, I can help you get out of here - get out of Konoha, even. All you have to do is say yes."
"I'm actually a member of the band of rebels called Mimei," she continued with a glint in her eye. "The very same that wish to stop the Uchihas' careless rule and begin a new future, one of peace and prosperity."
Hinata watched, stock-still in her shock, as Karin untied her robe and pulled it open just enough to show her a tattoo on her stomach: the uppercase last letter of the Latin alphabet, an Ω symbol in black, with a red circle inside. It didn't look any larger than five-by-five centimeters.
As she retied the robe, she spoke again. "I know you're not happy here. Come with us tonight, and we can set you free."
Freedom. That's what she wanted, wasn't it? Not to have all of this suffocating responsibility, not to have to worry about being labeled a failure?
She licked her dry lips and whispered, "What's… in the vial?"
Something in her eyes betrayed her interest, and Karin's smile grew. "A sleeping elixir. Specially made from Ayame-sama and Sumire-san themselves. It'll make you fall asleep until we make it to Ayame-sama."
Her brow furrowed at this. "And… how long will that be?"
Karin shrugged her shoulders loosely, adjusting her glasses. "It could take up to twelve whole hours. Could take more, could take less. It all depends on if we have… company along the way."
Hinata's eyes narrowed in contemplation, and she looked towards the vanity. Her own reflection stared back at her, and for the first time, she noticed just how exhausted she looked. Dark circles framed her doe eyes, accentuating the pearly-white color. Her skin was whiter than usual, and her lips were pale, colorless, as if she were slowly dying. She looked horrible compared to how she'd looked before, and she winced at the sight and turned away quickly.
Freedom.
But what would it cost her…?
She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes tightly. "Karin-san, please give me a few minutes alone to ruminate on this."
She heard Karin's clothes rustle, presumably from a bow, and she heard her murmur, "Of course, Princess."
Her jaw clenched at the title.
She heard the redheaded woman wordlessly leave the room, and when she heard the click of the door shutting, she fell to her bed, covering her head in her arms.
This shouldn't be happening. None of this should be happening. But it was, and she could not stop it on her own merits.
She let out another shuddery sigh and shook her head.
The penalty. What was the penalty for betraying the king? Death. If they ever caught her, she would die by the sword, and it would not be a kind death. She had accidentally witnessed such a murder in the town square several years before, a young woman with lovely platinum-blonde hair and eyes like ice. She had died just because of her stance on the king's policies of war, and the young girl with her, supposedly her family, was dragged away, so that she would avoid dying too.
Hinata remembered the grief she'd felt as her cousin ushered her away from the sight. She'd only been twelve and still innocent about the dirty politics at play. That day, what she saw had broken through the thin glass of her childhood innocence. Her naivete bled away, much like the life that slipped from the young woman's fingers and painted the cobblestone for hours afterward. That day she understood her place. What she saw frightened her beyond anything her father could ever threaten of her.
She honestly should've counted herself lucky that she'd been able to shield Hanabi from the cruelty for this long. Her beloved baby sister wasn't quite a baby anymore, and even though she was being groomed for Hinata's former place as clan heir, she still felt like she should keep her safe. Many times she'd considered taking her and running, but then the guilt about her mother's death would flare up again, and she loathed taking away her father's pride and joy. Hanabi was the only link left to their mother, as much as she took after their father in looks (and quite a bit in personality). The two were quite close, as Hanabi had proven herself to be better adept to become a clan head in Hinata's stead - a feat well-earned, if the ex-heiress said so herself. She loved her younger sister more than anything… and if it meant she could keep Hanabi safe, she would do whatever she needed to.
If it meant betraying her king to keep their family out of the bloodbath that was sure to come, then she would do anything, her own happiness be damned.
Her eyes darkened when she thought of the king. Kind as he and the queen were to her, kind as Sasuke was, as much as she loved Naruto… she couldn't allow herself to become another pawn. Not again.
She was no fool. She knew the rumors circulating. For the first time in history, a full-blooded Uchiha and a full-blooded Hyuuga were to produce a child, in the hopes of 'unity' among the two rivals? Hardly an honest report. If they truly wanted unity, they would have promised Hanabi, the actual Hyuuga heir, and Sasuke, the Uchiha heir, not her.
Sasuke's eyes, clouded with hidden emotion, flickered into her mind's eye, and her entire body sagged against the blankets. She'd never been able to accurately read him, as much as she desired to. He was a close friend, after all; and the only one whom she'd confided her deep longing for Naruto to. If there was anyone she wanted to hurt, he would be very low on the list. He knew the reason for their marriage just as well as she did, and she knew for a fact he didn't believe it, let alone want it, either.
But still…
She looked up to the window again. The sunset had painted the sky in hues of purple and rose, the light cerulean giving way to a deeper oceanic shade of navy as the moon began to rise. It would be a new moon soon - perhaps a sign of foreboding.
If she left, there would no doubt be an upset between the Uchiha and Hyuuga houses. She winced at the thought of her father's bargaining with the king, of all of the time that would be lost. She still loved her father with all of her heart, even if he'd practically cast her aside. Her only purpose now was to be married into a wealthy family, to strengthen the Hyuugas' influence. If they wanted, they could even send her to Wind - not that he would, of course. The last she'd heard of the feared prince of the Sand, the alliance between the kingdoms was straining. No amount of goodwill, not even a political marriage, would save it, as many councilmen feared.
She clenched her eyes shut and a low moan escaped her. What could she do?
She heard a brisk knock, and she heard someone stepping in.
"I'm back, milady," Karin announced, coming to her bedside and sitting. She felt the mattress dipping just as a gentle hand came to rest on her shoulders.
Graciously, Karin didn't say a word. She let Hinata lay there, wallowing in her misery, wondering desperately.
What can I do? What should I do?
… What would Naruto do?
The blond's exuberant voice came to her mind, clear as a June afternoon. "No matter what, I won't turn my back on my friends, y'know! It's like Kakashi says: those who break the rules are scum, but those who turn their backs on their friends are even worse than scum!"
What should I do?
"... have you decided, milady Hinata?" Karin's voice was gentler now, quieter, and she gave Hinata's shoulder a squeeze.
…
Slowly, Hinata looked up, her face set in grim determination.
"Forgive me," she spoke as evenly as she could, wiping away the gathering moisture in her eyes as she stared past the redhead's shoulder, looking at the wedding dress on the mannequin. "... but I know what I must do."
The room was cold. Too cold for the people huddled inside.
The air was chilly with sorrow as a woman curled in the blankets, wailing in the arms of her young daughter.
The daughter didn't register her mother's hiccupping sobs, staring brokenly at a metal pan on the bedside table, stained with blood. A sac, crimson and glistening in the light from the lamp, held an unmoving being inside. The windows were dark, save for the flickering orange glow of the lamp on the table.
Thumping footsteps came up the stairs and the girl physically flinched when the door was thrown open, a panting man crumpling against the open doorway.
"I- I came as soon as I heard," he gasped, eyes full of tears. "Is- is she…?"
"Dead," the daughter's voice was hollow, distant, her eyes not moving from the pan. "It… he … didn't make it."
Her father let out a choked sob, his footsteps halting as he stumbled towards the bed.
Her mother momentarily coughed weakly, moaning in pain as she looked up into her husband's face. "My baby…"
"I'm so sorry, dear," he blubbered, holding them both tight. His tears were hot against the girl's skin as he leaned in to cradle his wife's head. "If… if I'd been here…"
"There was nothing you could have done," the daughter's voice was quiet. "This was… this was inevitable."
A louder wail, and her mother all but threw herself against her husband. She was chanting "My baby, my baby," between shaky breaths.
The daughter slipped out of her mother's embrace to slink to the window, gazing out into the black.
She briefly caught her own reflection, her red-rimmed eyes narrowing. If she was a mess, there was no doubt that her parents were worse.
She glanced over at the sac again, her hands balling into tight fists. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. This shouldn't be happening.
… But it was. And she couldn't stop it.
She exhaled quietly, her body shuddering with the effort. It had been a while since she'd gotten a proper meal, but now… now she couldn't stomach the thought of eating. Not when all of her efforts had gone to waste. Not when her reason for soldiering on was dead.
The night was upon them, the black suffocating and scary.
When would tomorrow come and banish the night?
She squeezed her eyes shut. The sound of her parents sobbing was becoming too much to bear. Her heart clenched in agony, and she raised a hand to grip at her ragged shirt.
"I can't go on like this," she thought desperately, cracking open her lids to send her watery gaze to the window. In the night, the trees swayed with the early-spring breeze.
When would tomorrow come and break the dawn?
Very faintly, she caught a glimpse of royal soldiers chasing someone with short, gray hair pulled back in a ponytail down the main road, and her eyes grew steely with determination.
Tomorrow would come.
"... Forgive me."
A/N: Hardly any chapters will be as long as this one is, but I guarantee I've tried my best not to dip below 1k per chapter. Please tell me what you thought!
